What can I say? Do you have all week???? […] There are no words that can aptly describe the scene as it unfolded. Even pictures cannot do justice. You have to be there to experience it to really understand – no picture can tell the tale. […] But I need to pause to speak about [our driver guide] – he truly made this such a special safari – and I will admit that we were all long in the face when we had to say goodbye to him – I admit a few tears also! He was amazing – nothing was too difficult – he offered before asked – he knew just what was needed – he never gave up the illusive hunt for the leopard […] Honestly his knowledge was vast but his character and kindness far outweighed anything we could ever have hoped for. He truly made our safari spectacular.

And oh did I forget the wildlife?????? […] To have seen over 70 lions – and our first sighting day we saw 27 – some only a couple feet away – to have seen baby cubs including one only a few weeks old – to have seen a pair of lions mating right there in front of us (we had to close Sammy’s eyes) Ha – to have seen the playfulness of a cheetah who put on a wonderful show for us only a few feet away – to be rewarded with spending 45 minutes with the illusive leopard and her cub right next to our vehicle – something I know was a very special gift which we will not take for granted! To see a kill right in front of our eyes with 3 lions climbing up on a buffalo to take it down and then to return the next day to see the pride taking turns finishing off the spoils! To have seen the migration – hundreds of thousands of animals many blocking our path – even [our guide] said that we were really blessed to have seen the amounts we saw right in our view. To have seen lions hiding in the grass waiting to pounce and the way the zebras all stared at the lions waiting to see their next move. And then the rare black rhino in the Crater – wow. I have not spoken about the thousands of zebras, hundreds of elephants some waddling in the muddy water, wildebeest, countless gazelle of all kinds, wart hogs, wildebeest, buffalo, baboons, monkeys – everything – WE SAW EVERYTHING! Including an encounter when in our tent – with a buffalo right outside breathing hard, eating and pacing – was a bit worrisome to say the least!!!!!

The lodges were all great – service exceptional – food great – Maasai escorts wonderful – in fact the Tanzanian people are really special – I can say this having visited Zambia right after – quite a marked difference in hospitality!

We will never forget this experience and adventure – and will always promote ADS as the way to go. Don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from us again in the future! Thank you thank you thank you!

Debbie Simpson
May 2008